All Visakhapatnam flights move to Bhogapuram from August 17, under code VTZ

The Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport at Bhogapuram is set to begin commercial operations from August 17, a milestone for aviation in north Andhra Pradesh.

With the transition, all scheduled domestic and international passenger services will move to the new facility, which GMR has positioned as the “Gateway of the East”.

Developed and operated by GMR Visakhapatnam International Airport Limited (GVIAL) under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, the airport has been designed for long-term scalability and operational efficiency, the company said.

“From August 17, travellers will utilise the integrated terminal, which will officially operate under the IATA code VTZ,” as per the authorities concerned.

Terminal and capacity

The integrated passenger terminal spans 77,342 square metres, bringing together check-in, security screening, immigration, baggage handling and boarding. For smoother passenger flow, the facility has DigiYatra integration, e-gates and self-service kiosks, alongside advanced baggage handling systems.

The airport opens with a capacity of six million passengers a year, which is scalable to over 40 million. The airside infrastructure includes a 3,800-metre Code 4E runway, a parallel taxiway, rapid-exit taxiways and 18 aircraft stands designed to support heavy commercial traffic and future fleet expansion.

Technology in operations

Day-to-day management relies on digital integration. Smart airport systems, AI-enabled passenger services and the Airport Predictive Operations Centre (APOC) will provide real-time operational visibility and predictive analytics for decision-making, the statement said.

Reflecting regional heritage, the terminal’s architectural design draws inspiration from the locally found flying fish.

GMR said the transition was aimed at spurring regional growth by improving connectivity, boosting tourism, and opening up avenues for cargo, trade, investment and employment across the north Andhra region.